Amun-Ra : Martin Luther King!

[Amun-Ra]

Where do we draw the line? Topical comedy always walks the edge of trouble and if it has any hopes of being funny. Unfortunately, what is funny to some people is considered offensive to others. Recently, Cedric the Entertainer, came under fire for his character's comments in the hit movie "Barber Shop." Cedric plays "JD" the elder barber who talks a lot but never cuts any hair.

In the movie "JD" cracks that Martin Luther King was a "whoremonger," that all Rosa Parks did was "sit down" and that OJ "did it." Apparrently, those remarks upset a few people and among them were morning radio star Tom Joyner, who said he would not support the movie. I found Tom's reaction interesting in that it reminded in some ways of what happened when the movie "The Color Purple" came out.

Many people were offended by the way black men were portrayed in the movie and in the end a movie that was nominated for 13 Academy Awards did not win a single thing. Nothing! Nada! Zip! Danny Glover, Oprah Winfrey and Whoopee Goldberg all gave award winning performances, but because of the protest of the NAACP, the Academy lost the lead in their pencils and backed down. Even Quincy Jones who scored the music did not win.

What made that moment in history so fascinating is that it didn't distort the truth. It happened and still happens. Now, we have a national celebrity boycotting a movie for a comedic interpretation. Now the tough question. Did Martin Luther King Jr. fool around on his wife? Unfortunately, the answer is yes. Does that make him what he did for the Civil Right movement any less important? No! Does it lessen his impact in American history? No. What about Rosa Parks? She is a national icon in the black community, but did she do anything more than any other black man or woman of that time hadn't all ready done? Again, the answer is no. What she did was courageous, but she wasn't the first. However, proximity, time and circumstance and came together in one place to forever make her name treasured. Finally, there is OJ. There was no complaint about that.

Whether Rosa Parks just sat down and became famous or Martin Luther King Jr. was a whoremonger is not the issue. The issie is whether there is anyone or anything that cannot be examined, criticized or even ridiculed? At what point do we draw the line. Is there some point of maliciousness that must be achieved? Or,do we react as the tribe reacts? Are we individuals first or or we a group first?

Just some questions to stir the pot. Personally, I enjoyed the movie and would watch it again.

Ra

 

[Amun-Ra]

But are They!

Are we not permitted to say anything about Martin Luther King Jr? The fact is that he did do what was alluded to in the movie. Is it because of the public disclosure? Are they too sacred?

Ra

 

[Kitana]

Ra

as in the instance of the movie, "A colour purple"..media plays a powerful role in making or breaking because it has the power to sway the masses into a certain mode of thought....

K

 

[Amun-Ra]

Best Burgers

It is true that sacred cows make the best hamburgers--the last time I checked thesepeople aren't saints, no matter how important they are to our history--we don't make a question go away because we don't answer it--I love MLK, ut I cannot deny that he did things that weren't in the best interest of his image, but it made him no less great--just human. Poor Sister Parks--she is almost an invalid now, but she hasn't reached sainthood either--truly an icon of the Civil Rights era--but she is also available for commet just by being a public figure--because we choose not to talk about doesn't mean that no one has noticed--besides, if we recall the scene from the movie, everyone in the shop shouted Cedric's character down after he made the remarks--Jesse and Al need to stick to real issues--Ra

 

[carlhurd]

MLK

All I know that I am tired of someone always trying to speak for the everyday people. Even in our own communities we have a class war. The rich aganist the poor. If Our so called Black leaders was really interested in helping to lift us up, they would stay out of the white media and walk the walk instead of talking all the time. Also thay would encourage our people with the little money that we have atleast put our money in our local black banks if we can't do this simple step we will always be in trouble